Little by little, day-by-day, being based in Iraq has defied all those reasons. I am house bound. I leave when I have a very good reason to and a scheduled interview. I avoid going to people's homes and never walk in the streets. I can't go grocery shopping any more, can't eat in restaurants, can't strike a conversation with strangers, can't look for stories, can't drive in any thing but a full armored car, can't go to scenes of breaking news stories, can't be stuck in traffic, can't speak English outside, can't take a road trip, can't say I'm an American, can't linger at checkpoints, can't be curious about what people are saying, doing, feeling. And can't and can't.

There has been one too many close calls, including a car bomb so near our house that it blew out all the windows. So now my most pressing concern every day is not to write a kick-ass story but to stay alive and make sure our Iraqi employees stay alive. In Baghdad I am a security personnel first, a reporter second.

It's hard to pinpoint when the turning point exactly began. Was it April when the Fallujah fell out of the grasp of the Americans? Was it when Moqtada and Jish Mahdi declared war on the U.S. military? Was it when Sadr City, home to ten percent of Iraq's population, became a nightly battlefield for the Americans? Or was it when the insurgency began spreading from isolated pockets in the Sunni triangle to include most of Iraq? Despite President Bush's rosy assessments, Iraq remains a disaster. If under Saddam it was a potential threat, under the Americans it has been transformed to imminent and active threat, a foreign policy failure bound to haunt the United States for decades to come.

Iraqis like to call this mess the situation. When asked how are things? they reply: the situation is very bad.

What they mean by situation is this: the Iraqi government doesn't control most Iraqi cities, there are several car bombs going off each day around the country killing and injuring scores of innocent people, the country's roads are becoming impassable and littered by hundreds of landmines and explosive devices aimed to kill American soldiers, there are assassinations, kidnappings and beheadings. The situation, basically, means a raging barbaric guerilla war.

In four days, 110 people died and over 300 got injured in Baghdad alone. The numbers are so shocking that the ministry of health, which was attempting an exercise of public transparency by releasing the numbers-- has now stopped disclosing them.

Insurgents now attack Americans 87 times a day.

A friend drove thru the Shiite slum of Sadr City yesterday. He said young men were openly placing improvised explosive devices into the ground. They melt a shallow hole into the asphalt, dig the explosive, cover it with dirt and put an old tire or plastic can over it to signal to the locals this is booby-trapped. He said on the main roads of Sadr City, there were a dozen landmines per every ten yards. His car snaked and swirled to avoid driving over them. Behind the walls sits an angry Iraqi ready to detonate them as soon as an American convoy gets near. This is in Shiite land, the population that was supposed to love America for liberating Iraq.

For journalists the significant turning point came with the wave of abduction and kidnappings. Only two weeks ago we felt safe around Baghdad because foreigners were being abducted on the roads and highways between towns. Then came a frantic phone call from a journalist female friend at 11 p.m. telling me two Italian women had been abducted from their homes in broad daylight. Then the two Americans, who got beheaded this week and the Brit, were abducted from their homes in a residential neighborhood. They were supplying the entire block with round the clock electricity from their generator to win friends. The abductors grabbed one of them at 6 a.m. when he came out to switch on the generator; his beheaded body was thrown back near the neighborhoods. The insurgency, we are told, is rampant with no signs of calming down. If any thing, it is growing stronger, organized and more sophisticated every day. The various elements within it -- baathists, criminals, nationalists and Al Qaeda -- are cooperating and coordinating.

I went to an emergency meeting for foreign correspondents with the military and embassy to discuss the kidnappings. We were somberly told our fate would largely depend on where we were in the kidnapping chain once it was determined we were missing. Here is how it goes: criminal gangs grab you and sell you up to Baathists in Fallujah, who will in turn sell you to Al Qaeda. In turn, cash and weapons flow the other way from Al Qaeda to the Baathisst to the criminals. My friend Georges, the French journalist snatched on the road to Najaf, has been missing for a month with no word on release or whether he is still alive.

America's last hope for a quick exit? The Iraqi police and National Guard units we are spending billions of dollars to train. The cops are being murdered by the dozens every dayÜover 700 to date -- and the insurgents are infiltrating their ranks. The problem is so serious that the U.S. military has allocated $6 million dollars to buy out 30,000 cops they just trained to get rid of them quietly.

As for reconstruction: firstly it's so unsafe for foreigners to operate that almost all projects have come to a halt. After two years, of the $18 billion Congress appropriated for Iraq reconstruction only about $1 billion or so has been spent and a chuck has now been reallocated for improving security, a sign of just how bad things are going here.

Oil dreams? Insurgents disrupt oil flow routinely as a result of sabotage and oil prices have hit record high of $49 a barrel.

Who did this war exactly benefit? Was it worth it? Are we safer because Saddam is holed up and Al Qaeda is running around in Iraq?

Iraqis say that thanks to America they got freedom in exchange for insecurity. Guess what? They say they'd take security over freedom any day, even if it means having a dictator ruler.

I heard an educated Iraqi say today that if Saddam Hussein were allowed to run for elections he would get the majority of the vote. This is truly sad.

Then I went to see an Iraqi scholar this week to talk to him about elections here. He has been trying to educate the public on the importance of voting. He said, "President Bush wanted to turn Iraq into a democracy that would be an example for the Middle East. Forget about democracy, forget about being a model for the region, we have to salvage Iraq before all is lost."

One could argue that Iraq is already lost beyond salvation. For those of us on the ground it's hard to imagine what if any thing could salvage it from its violent downward spiral.

The genie of terrorism, chaos and mayhem has been unleashed onto this country as a result of American mistakes and it can't be put back into a bottle.

The Iraqi government is talking about having elections in three months while half of the country remains a no go zone -- out of the hands of the government and the Americans and out of reach of journalists. In the other half, the disenchanted population is too terrified to show up at polling stations. The Sunnis have already said they'd boycott elections, leaving the stage open for polarized government of Kurds and Shiites that will not be deemed as legitimate and will most certainly lead to civil war.

I asked a 28-year-old engineer if he and his family would participate in the Iraqi elections since it was the first time Iraqis could to some degree elect a leadership. His response summed it all: "Go and vote and risk being blown into pieces or followed by the insurgents and murdered for cooperating with the Americans? For what? To practice democracy? Are you joking?"

Posted on October 5, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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How to create a cool stencil 

Looks as create a cool stencil or stickers ready for the
print in ten steps :-)

http://www.peamarte.it/02/template/tutorial/stencil/stencilt_tut.html

On for John ;)

Posted on October 5, 2004
in Linking context

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Browse happy :)

Internet Explorer can make your computer unsafe.
Why not switch to a browser that's more secure?

Many already have. Read their stories, and choose a browser
that's right for you.

http://browsehappy.com/

Posted on October 5, 2004
in Linking context

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PhotoBlog 1 year // Launderette exhibition

Full info.

Posted on October 5, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Rumsfeld doubts Saddam link

Donald Rumsfeld queries whether there was ever strong evidence linking Iraq and Osama Bin Laden.
[BBC News]

Wellwellwell... Grinning.
In the end it seems that all those guys sitting there and makin g the decisions of the world don't have the knowledge after all.

I sometimes get remarks on my posts. But I wonder, since when did we started to accept lies and 'understand' there policy. Although it seems to have another reason all the time.
It's not the oil, it is the MDW. It is not the MDW, it is the link with Al Quaeda. It is no the link with Al Quaeda, it's the oil!

It's not the oil... It's the fear.
And the fear is creating what we are fearing: read it in Times

Posted on October 5, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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How-To: Podcasting (aka How to get Podcasts and also make your own)

This week’s How-To is a three part special complete with our
first Engadget “Podcast” MP3. The first
part is how to get “Podcasts” on your iPod. So what’s a Podcast? To put it simply, a Podcast is an audio file, a MP3,
most likely, in talk show format, along with a way to subscribe to the show and have it automatically delivered to your
iPod when you plug in to iTunes. The show isn’t live, so you can listen to it whenever you want.

Lees meer "How-To: Podcasting (aka How to get Podcasts and also make your own)" »

Posted on October 6, 2004
in Projects - Podcasting

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Plazes on PhotoBlog: the world is yours

Maarten did it... again. With the help of Felix and Stefan of Plazes.
Stowe Boyd, President of Corante, calls Plazes: "the first social software technology that I believe that I will actually use...".
Plazes is seamlessly integrated via XML/RPC into PhotoBlog (Member and XL Member accounts only). You can simply check if and where I'm only by going with your mouse over the Plazes icon.
Neat.
Mark the map, currently no users in Brazil (oh yes, one in Sao Paulo), Chile or Central America (wait, I see Alf in San Jose) or Portugal. Check again in two weeks...

Stefan, co-founder of Plazes might be over in Belgium on November 5th. I'll confirm by the end of this week.

Posted on October 6, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Qassams in UN vehicle?

The last days in Israel an interesting discussion has been ruling the papers. Some days ago Israel IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) release a picture of a Qassam rocket being taken into a UN-vehicle. The Israeli and international opinion was shocked. And the function of the UN was questioned.
Immediately Peter Hansen, in charge of the UN in the Palestinian Territories accused Israel of saying things they can not prove. The Qassam would have been a stretcher, and few days later, IDF admits they are not so sure anymore and removed the accusing pics from their site.

Haaretz reported thoroughly on it.
Here and here
Israel wanted a justification to convince the world what they are doing in Gaza right now is right, the paper says.

But this article questions the most important question: What would Israel do without URWRA?

The writer of the article is an Israeli jewish woman living in Ramallah, and presenting a quite interesting point of view to the Israeli's.
Her remark in this article was this:
World Bank studies show that the direct reason for the collapse of the Palestinian economy and the scope of Palestinian poverty is the Israeli policy of putting drastic restrictions on movement within the territories. The UN food aid is preventing outbreaks of disease and the spread of malnutrition. How would Israel's UN ambassador, who is calling for Hansen's removal, respond to reports of malnutrition of an African-type scale, if not outright hunger, in the territories that Israel controls?
With in the end a little snatch to the IDF:
And as for the question of the Qassam or the stretcher: One hopes that the UN team that looks into the Israeli accusations will get to the real truth of the matter. Perhaps it also ought to have a talk with Zohar Shapira, a sergeant major in the reserves who is in the elite Sayeret Matkal unit. He participated in Operation Defensive Shield in April 2002 and was astounded to discover that the IDF was using military ambulances to surreptitiously transport troops on their way to apprehend suspects in Yazid, north of Nablus. His commanders told him that this was a war and that ambulances were the most protected vehicles at their disposal.

Indeed this is a war, with more wrong than right, with more losers than winners...

Posted on October 7, 2004
in Living in Israel

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America as a new Empire?

'Colossus, the price of America's Empire', by Niall Fergusson, seems to be a new book where America is researched in his possibilities and fails as a new empire.

Although America claims not to be imperialistic, Fergusson raises some questions: with numbers as 752 installations in more than 130 countries, and after 40 years of the ending of WWII, still having more than 70000 soldiers in Germany and 40000 in Japan America questions itself.

Although the writer is harsh on the big nation, he also raises some interesting questions:
'Who will be able to push a peace process in the Middle East?'
'Is Europe meaning anything at all'
'If there is no pole of power, who will get in charge?'
A meaning in which he shows the importance of this nation.

All checked with historical references and comparisons.
Truly a book to buy. And read off course.

Posted on October 7, 2004
in Linking context

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PhotoBlog in China: Breast Awareness

Moko just announced that the October issue of Trends Health Magazine October is out.
The only headline features on the cover: Special Project - The very pictures of 100 Breasts.
Pictures coming from PhotoBloggers through the Breast Awareness PhotoBlog.
Great work, Moko !

Posted on October 7, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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UN warns of 'growing Gaza crisis'

A group of 12 United Nations agencies warns of an impending humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

[BBC News]

An article with scary numbers...

Posted on October 7, 2004
in Living in Israel

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SynthAxis 

Color synthAxis is a free online tool designed to simplify
the nightmare of color scheme selection. It looks complex,but after a few minutes you won't be able to live without it.
http://www.telecable.es/personales/alberto9/color/index.htm

Thanks to Usaps

Posted on October 7, 2004
in Linking context

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Sinai under fire

Yesterday 3 bombs exploded in Sinai, Egypt.
It was around the places my mum, sister and I stayed only a week ago.
What should I feel? Scared? Relief?
I don't feel any of it. Only confirmation.
Confirmation of some of my somber thoughts.

Lees meer "Sinai under fire" »

Posted on October 9, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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Minutes of silence

For those who died in the last days, for no good reason.

Posted on October 9, 2004
in Living in Israel

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The Problem of the Media

Corporate values, horse-race coverage, double standards &mdash journalism's a mess. But, says Robert McChesney, there's real hope for a media system that truly serves the public interest.

[from MotherJones.com]

Posted on October 10, 2004
in Linking context

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If I am a bigamist?

I smile.
This question is asked the second time in 2 weeks time.
Why? Because I am living in the Israeli side of this country, but still sympatize with the Palestinians, I am a bigamist?

I clearly looked surprised at the man who asked it first. Sitting in a company of people that all work and live in West Bank, I seemed somehow a stranger.
The second time, sitting in Daheisheh and being asked a similar question by a German peace activist, I didn't even bother.

People who know me, know what I think.
My parents raised me with several values, one of them 'Your personal freedom reaches as far as it limits somebody elses personal freedom'
Back then it was just one of those sentences. But now I get to understand them.
When you think about it, God's 10 sentences reduced in 1.

Clearly I believe that the Arab world is against Israel as such. And that idea is kind of scarying.
But I also believe that what is happening now, misses any lack of respect towards human beings. And limits others personal freedom. Which is as scary.

A bigamist?
I looked it up:
Etymology: Middle English bigamie, from Medieval Latin bigamia, from Latin bi- + Late Latin -gamia -gamy
: the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another

I am not married to any of them ;) so just forget about it.

Posted on October 11, 2004
in Living in Israel

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Launderette exhibition: invitation

Lorena and Stijn released the official invitation for the Launderette exhibition.
You can subscribe here (counter stops at #150). The whole evening is free, courtesy Launderette & PhotoBlog.
~ Artwork: Lorena.

Posted on October 11, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Scratches from being a soldier

In Israel, currently a wave of soldiers are not agreeing with what is happening, and especially not agreeing with the fact that they have to risk their lives.
I met this amazing 'kid' of 24, saying that the army scratched his life.

'We don't question going to the army, we just do. But when you are suddenly out there and the question is if you shoot the other or they shoot you, you realize it is not a game...'

I guess we don't have to wonder these things. We don't have army duty left, nor big wars to fight.
We don't have a public opionion to face, nor commanders to obey.

Yesterday the news revealed that the girl of 9 shot in Gaza with 28 bullets, was shot by one commander.
His soldiers refused to shoot at a kid. The commander said that she was wearing a bomb. Only after she was dead, the backpack revelad nothing but schoolbooks. A group of soldiers protested the happening by making a complaint to the army. Clearly the officer freaked out.

In West Bank, I am often faced with young soldiers, just out of school, that are scared of being in the dangerous territories and have already a finger on the trigger.
How do all these young kids come out of this war? What goes on in their minds? How can they cope with shooting at others?

More and more soldiers start to protest, under which some very important ones, like the 'Pilot's Letter' of last year, signed by some dozens of the 'finest soldiers'.
Being a soldier is one thing, having to kill is another.
And in cases like the recent attack in Gaza, where in 2 weeks time, more than 100 people died, these questions become pretty substantial for many soldiers...

Posted on October 11, 2004
in Living in Israel

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Israel extends offensive in Gaza

Israeli forces thrust into a town in north Gaza and kill a Hamas militant, as a Palestinian schoolgirl dies of her wounds.
[by BBC News]

The operation is the deadliest since the start of the Palestinian uprising four years ago and has left more than 100 Palestinians dead. ... Nearly half the Palestinian dead in fighting - which until now has been centred on the crowded Jabaliya refugee camp - are reported to be civilians.

In today's story less and less is told about the civilians.
The 'terrorists', the 'freedomfighters'.
It is indeed easier to paint the world in black and white, and off course we are the 'white', the 'good ones'.
But half of the people there are just stuck, didn't want to have anything to do with this fighting. They happened to be born in the wrong place in the wrong time.

I have friends over there, willing to cooperate with Israeli's, just to have a better life.
At this very moment, they fear every second if a rocket will hit their apartment or not. If a soldier will shoot their children.

One day, more than a year ago, I went to Hebron.
Changing cabs for 4 times to get not yet where I wanted, I suddenly started talking with a farmer.
He look at me, telling me his journey to the bank, that took him almost 4 hours by now.
But the most stunning thing he said, was: 'Maybe they will bomb this car, because a so called Hamas-leader is sitting in it. Or because they got the wrong information...'
I immediately looked around to find the Hamas leader, not to find him, but being left with the very uncomfortable fear that every second could be my last.
Hours later, I crossed a fictive border, to go to a settlement in Hebron, behind us the Palestinians, in front the Israeli soldiers.
An amazing silence between the 2 places.
I guess I was never so scared before in my life, with the feeling that guns were pointed at us.
That's when I decided that my life is so worth everything to me. It didn't even matter if what I felt was reality or just my idea.
I have the choice to come here, or to walk away, to leave these dangers behind me and go to a safer haven.
Not all of us have this choice.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Living in Israel

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Lomography and PhotoBlog partner

As from today all Lomographers can join the Lomogroup on PhotoBlog and share their best shots. Joining is easy: log in and click 'join' after which an administrator will activate you within the group.
The pictures will also be published on the homepage of lomography.be . By the end of November, the members who posted pictures on the Lomogroup with the most comments from registered users, will receive a
brand new *Oktomat* camera from Lomography.
On the LomoGroup all Lomography items can be directly ordered an will be shipped worldwide at best prices. We want as many PhotoBloggers as possible to join the Lomo movement.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Lomography and PhotoBlog sign partnership

Last night we officially launched or second PhotoBlog group commercial partner. Foto Magazine was the first to kick off, yesterday we launched the Lomography Group PhotoBlog.
A Lomo shop is seamlessly integrated and provides worldwide shipment.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Apple to announce 4G iPod with color display, report confirms

Apple Computer is set to finally unveil its rumored high-end photo-savvy iPod.

[from AppleInsider]

Finally.....
This iPod with color screen, will support image viewing, and most of all 'connecting to a television screen' to give slideshows.

So I will wait 2 months longer to have a 60gb back up, mp3 player and media-reader...

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Apple

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Wasmedat?

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Ever wondered what that camera phone is useful for?

Surf here and click on Sagem.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Linking context

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I believe in miracles, you sexy thing...

Congrats, sweet darling mine.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Living in Israel

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PhotoBlog Shop opened

Earlier today we opened the Lomo shop on PhotoBlog. Just a minute ago the PhotoBlog accesoires shop also opened. The first item being sold is the PhotoBlog camera bag that has been raved about on PhotoBlog the last days.
Model: Szofi.

Posted on October 13, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Study: Mobile phone use increases brain tumor risk

Ten or more years of mobile phone use can dramatically increase the risk of developing a benign tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study conducted by the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
[through MacCentral]

Why aren't we surprised...
I guess I will be running for that Bluetooth headphone soon.
Well, if that isn't raising chances for cancer as well...

Posted on October 14, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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Apple posts $106 million profit on strong iPod sales

Apple on Wednesday posted a net profit of US$106 million, or 26 cents a share, for its fiscal 2004 fourth quarter ended September 25...
[More here]
Who said music-industry is dead???

Posted on October 14, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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IndyMedia Gets Its Servers Back

Critical hardware is back in hand, but websites run by the collective news organization remain offline after a mysterious seizure. Nobody seems to know who confiscated the servers or why. By Wendy M. Grossman.
[More]

What's happening?

Posted on October 14, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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the Israeli model?

Marc has this entry that describes the return of the "Israeli" model in start-up development:

Pretty interesting analysis. Worth considering for PhotoBlog. ;)

Posted on October 14, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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The future is now...

Powerful, relevant, dynamic: 17 years of EOS passion, distilled into a single defining moment. Jaw-dropping performance and agility set the standard against which others can only be compared.

Yep the Eos 1D MarkII is out...:
Representing the ultimate in responsive D-SLR photography, the EOS-1D Mark II is the undisputed first choice of the working professionals who require speed and high resolution. 8.2 Megapixel x 8.5 frames per second performance marks the beginning of a commanding, rugged and seriously featured professional camera.

Put that tongue back in your mouth and start to save...

More on Canon's site

Posted on October 15, 2004
in Linking context

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Happy Ramadan!

To all of you.

Posted on October 15, 2004
in Living in Israel

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Jacques Derrida died

Deconstruction icon Derrida dies
Jacques Derrida
Critics blasted his writings as absurd
Jacques Derrida, one of France's most famous philosophers, has died at the age of 74.

Fellow academics have charged that Derrida's writings are "absurd", but his mark on modern thinking is undisputed, correspondents say.

I just realized this, after I saw an interview with him on France 3, featuring his latest book: Philosophy in a Time of Terror
Dialogues with Jürgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida
(by Giovanna Borradori)

"The concepts with which this 'event' has most often been described, named, categorised, are the products of a 'dogmatic slumber' from which only a new philosophical reflection can awaken us, a reflection on philosophy, most notably on political philosophy and its heritage. The prevailing discourse, that of the media and of the official rhetoric, relies too readily on received concepts like 'war' or 'terrorism' (national and international)."
A long and very interesting view on 9/11.

Derrida according to Wikipedia

Posted on October 15, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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Make your own Pirate Radio Station with an iPod

This was going to be “How-To increase the range of your
iTrip mini”. But after playing around with the new iTrip mini, the FM broadcasting accessory for the iPod (our review here) our little minds got working on some ideas.

Posted on October 15, 2004
in Technical stuff

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PhotoBlog 1 year: November 5

Inschrijven voor de tentoonstelling en de lounge avond kan hier. Toegang gratis. Plaatsen beperkt (150): first in, first served (FIFS)
So hurry up...

Posted on October 15, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Print yr own iPod tattoos

Yes, hp got the idea.
While Apple earns more than 100 milj $ with the sales of ipods and the mucis store, HP wants to take a bit of the profit.
From now on in their shops: printable tattoos for your ipod
I want I want.
But first my new ipod...

Posted on October 17, 2004
in Linking context

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New PhotoBlog Group: RestRoom

RestRoom, a new PhotoBlog Group, launched by Szofi.
Szofi doesn't know yet, but RestRoom will get an offline public too... ;)

Posted on October 18, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Professional Looking Interface Icons for Developers

InterfaceLIFT, a popular source for quality freeware icons for both Mac OS X and Windows has launched a new section of its web site devoted to developers. The new stock icons collection makes it easier for programmers to find high-quality, royalty-free interface icons that are designed specifically for use in software and web site projects.
[throughMacMegasite]

Posted on October 18, 2004
in Linking context

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Helpless

How helpless are we without our comp?

I can tell: very helpless....
Considering an early flight back home, because comp crashed.
Nothing to do but curse and feel helpless and useless in a way.
All my work is stored, all my links are inside, all the docs needed as well.

:(((

Short on posts because internetcafe's suck.

Posted on October 22, 2004
in Technical stuff

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Audio-blogging

The word is out anyway, I can as well start writing on it.
PhotoBlog Audio will be released soon.

We have been thinking long of further enhancing the narrative power of PhotoBlog. e decided to offer people the ability to add voice to the picture; like the guide on your walkman you rented in a museum: enhanced context.

People can upload any MP3, and add ID3 in their PhotoBlog admin. The mp3 is automatically enclosed in the RSS stream, allowing people to launch their own podcast through PhotoBlog, using Dopplerradio as a client.

The official bèta starts Thursday for all XL members. Be quick, we might close upgrades for a while, since people are queuing to test. We'd love to have you in on the bèta test and read your input/comments.

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Picture-pod

Yep, it arrived.....
Running to a shop near you...
Or just waiting til our PhotoBlog Picture-pod gets released. WITH special -removable- skin.

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Apple

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Bandwidth and BANDWIDTH

PhotoBlog currently pays 140 €/Mbps, totaling to 2.100 € per month for the current 15Mbps, not including servers and colocation. Yesterday I met a good friend of mine who is managing one of Paris most popular online radio stations. They offer 256k outgoing streams. We talked a lot on our joint business models. I felt ultimetaley frustrated when he revealed his infrastructure costs. Tomorrow I'm taking the Thallys to Paris and visit the datacenter. This is not a telco with on-net advantages. The prices I'm mentioning are standard list prices: 10 Mbps comes at 150 € a month and 25 Mbps at 350 € a month.

A bi-Xeon 2x2,8 Ghz server with daily tape backup, 24/7 support line (real rolling support teams), dual 70 Go RAID discs, 4 gig RAM and 50Mbps bandwidth (SLA and burstable) comes at 1190 € per month, all in.

They host major European online gaming and radio platforms and currently have 2Gbps fiber in Paris 11 and 4Gpbs in Paris 19, totaling to 6Gbps on their Global switch.

Last week Michael informed me on the prices he is paying for the last.fmcolocation at Silt; the bandwidth prices are more or less comparable to the above mentioned prices. And people who are tuned into last.fm know that the uptime is beyond 99,9%

While talking to many people yesterday it struck me few have a clue on the costing model of bandwidth. Cindy has bene writing a lot on theproblems of broadband pricing in Belgium, but the serverside pricing model is even less transparant.

As I said, when adding up the numbers of the last 12 months I feel frustrated. Where is the Test Aankoop for bandwidth pricing? More next week.

[through Baeyens.net]

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Gaza Withdrawal

The Knesset voted 67-45 to back Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposal, with seven abstentions.

Some lines that don't explain any sentiment of what is going on here.
Yesterday many sources were talking about the falling of this government.
Furtheron it is not unknown that Sharon is a target amongst extreme rightwinged already.

2 amazing things about this voting:
-Sharon said that who would vote against would be thrwon out of the government. -Where is democracy?-
-Atleast 4 abstentions were from the Arab representatvies in the Knesset -Why???-

Anyhow, Sharon got a back up from his government.
So, the withdrawal should go on.

The next thing on the line: When.

Will be continued...

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Living in Israel

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What does one do when computer access is restored?

-Well it isn't but anyway the restriction is not limited to 30min internetcafe anymore-

One:
-checks his email
-updates the corperate blog with some posts
-updates his blog with short update
-answers the 580 helpmails -from which 560 spam...-
-surfs 'important logs'
-takes 5min to surf and see the beatiful picture pod...

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Technical stuff

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Interesting for podcasting

HOW-TO: Record all audio playing through your Mac (Bonus! Wired CD download!)

Posted on October 27, 2004
in Projects - Podcasting

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PhotoBlog is hiring...

PhotoBlog is hiring an extra lead developer

Hours: minimal availability of 40h/week, min 30h in PhotoBlog offices, possibility for 1 day/week home work.
Place: at least one position onsite in Brussels, Belgium / one position could be coordinated offsite; office location easily reacheable from Leuven, Antwerp and Hasselt

Description:
PhotoBlog (http://www.photoblog.be), is rapidly growing and we’re looking for Web Developer/Designer who has strong HTML, CSS, PHP skills. The person we are looking for will develop both backend code and the frontend presentation. Your software will be used by thousands of avid amateur and professional photographers.
The candidate should be very detailed-oriented, flexible, have strong organizational skills and be comfortable working in a small-sized business. A good mareket knowledge of the (photo)blogging and social software market is a must. Solid experience with Blogging applications is a strong asset.

Requirements:
- expert in HTML and CSS
- mastery of web standards
- proven trackrecord in developing web interfaces with a focus on user experience
- thorough knowledge of Photoshop
- team-spirit
- independent problem solver
- have the drive to meet tight deadlines

Skills:
Site Tools / Standards : RSS, RDF
Databases : SQL, MySQL, database design / normalization
Development : software test plans / cases, web site integration testing
Programming : HTML, CSS, DHTML, XHTML, PHP, XML, XSL
Servers : Redhat Linux, Plesk 6.0, Windows NT, Linux, IIS, Apache, Office | MS

Contact information:
Send your cover letter with motivation, detailed CV and reference list to: jobs [at] photoblog [dot] net.
Applications with no reference to realised online projects will be disregarded; a solid experience is an absolute must.

Posted on October 28, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Landed

safely.
Apple to ARC Dilbeek, Apple repaircentre; where it will get a quick repair and more space inside.
Meanwhile working on another beauty.
Back in town and back in the web :°)

Posted on October 29, 2004
in Living in Belgium

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PhotoBlog XL Member

XL Members tended to ask what was the difference between XL and member.
Well space in the first place...

But the good news is that we have added some extra stuff:
-Last.FM Radio is being introduced, making you able to let people hear your personal taste.
In coop with Last FM.
-And Creative Commons Copyright Notice.
So you can let all your visitors know that your images are tagged.

Hope you enjoy.
And for the others: time to upgrade we would say...

PhotoBlog is slowly changing into MediaBlog, since soon the 'podcastings' will be introduced in which you can broadcast your personal information.

And yes we are working on the rest...

Posted on October 29, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Smiling

Dan: what the hell
Dan: so HP has this new commercial
Dan: “The HP Apple iPod. Your PC will never be the same.”
Dan: ok, fine
Dan: but then the next line
Dan: “HP - invent.”
Dan: they didn’t invent that shit!

Posted on October 30, 2004
in Limit of my knowledge

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Ecto with NetNewsWire

Ecto with NetNewsWire works fabulous...
Ecto even integrates iTunes, so I guess it is ready for PodCasts and AudioBlogging.
It is soo f* conveniant, I guess this will be the future way of blogging.

Stupid of me not to adaopt this earlier.
Me that early adoper ;)

Posted on October 31, 2004
in Technical stuff

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PodCasting

PodCasting for PhotoBlog is a fact.
It is sublime. I have to say.
When John and I were talking about it, it wasn't very clear to me what was the best way to implement it.
Surely Maarten did it in the most convincing way.
PodCasting is preserved for XL-Members only because of the high bandwidth and serverspace.
While he was busy, Maarten also refreshed our RSS feed, resulting in a much more convincing feed.
From now on, you'll see personal names appear, and when integrated in iPodder, the MP3 files download themselves to your harddisk.

Not necessary to say what an invention PodCasting is.
Since it supports MP3 and MP4, surely in the future videoblogging can be a fact.

I can think of some interesting implementations for schools etc.

PodCasting, check the test on my PhotoBlog

Posted on October 31, 2004
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Back in Belgium

I almost forgot to mention it, I am back in town, hooked up to a computer, and working full time on the stuff I couldn't work on the last 3 weeks.
I feels like heaven.
Does this mean I am a workaholic?
Does it mean I am an internet addict?

It became clear to me when my Apple got stuck: most of the things I do are linked to my computer.
Even photography has everything to do with it.
Working on another one is a possibility, but definitely my personal machine, with personal programs, with the little details and the internal organization of my files: it is heaven.

I got the little apple to my computer doctor, where it will be given a bigger drive. The old one will be put into a little box, and taken with me all the time, as an extra back up, but also startdisk. In case of urgent emergencies...

Posted on October 31, 2004
in Living in Belgium

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Arafat abroad.

Arafat abroad...
Is he dying or is he already dead?

Maybe for the west it is something not to bother, but surely in the Middle East, it is giving certain people some worries.
Israel is cracking his head on how to deal with his grave, while in Ramallah others are in crisis: who will take over?

Because who will?

The greatest challenge is to have a regime that can break the limbo and start peace talks again.
Well, maybe not peace talks, but surely just talks...
The PA will become another place in the Middle East where chaos tend to take over.
And only a strong leader can prevent it.
Chaos is something they surely don't need, because it will only be in the Palestinians AND Israelis disadvantage.

Meanwhile, the first question will be: can he come back, or not? :))))

Posted on October 31, 2004
in Living in Israel

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